If you’re planning to be on Oahu during your Hawaii vacation, check to see what might be going on at the Waikiki Shell.
The Shell sits in beautiful and spacious Kapiolani Park with Diamond Head as a backdrop and Waikiki Beach at the opposite end. The attractive (It looks a lot like the Hollywood Bowl), tropical outdoor amphitheater has been Hawaii’s place to see the stars, under the stars, since 1952.
The Waikiki Shell is a venue for outdoor concerts and other large gatherings in Waikiki. It seats 2,400 persons, but the lawn area has capacity for an additional 6,000 persons. Local residents seem to prefer the lawn. There are no seats, but we pack picnics, take the kids along and often just lie back and chill, gaze at the amazing sky above and listen to whatever might be going on up on the stage. It’s a terrific venue for concerts, and political rallies and corporate functions are held there. Virtually all of the top local entertainers have performed in the Shell, and world-class comedians, singers, rock groups and other performers appear regularly.
It doesn’t really matter what the attraction might be while you’re in Waikiki. Going to an event at the Shell is a great way to spend an evening in a place where Hawaii’s wondrous weather is shown off to its very best advantage.
Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-843-8771. We’ll advise you of the Shell schedule of events that will be taking place during your visit.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
Your Blogger’s Side Bar
It was back in the 70s. My boss Carlos Rivas had invited me and my wife Mary to be his guests at the Waikiki Shell for a performance by Cat Stevens, a British pop star who had sold over 60 million albums around the world since the late 1960s.
Mary and I had not yet been to the Shell and accepted eagerly. (Mary was a Cat Stevens fan.) Carlos said that he would take care of the food, I should take care of the booze, and he would meet us at the gate. We would not be in seats, but sitting on the lawn, so we should also bring a blanket. I bought a gallon of red wine. As it happened, I drove past the gate on my quest for a parking space and could see that security guards were frisking people as they entered, unrolling their blankets and examining their bags. Obviously, outside alcohol was not permitted.
Thinking quickly, I drove to a nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken and bought a large bucket. I disposed of most of the breasts, legs and wings and replaced them with the jug of wine inside the bucket. The top stuck out from the remaining pieces a little too far so I covered it with a roll.
When we met Carlos at the gate, he was empty-handed. “What’s that?” he asked me. I explained. “Actually,” he said, “I was going to buy the food inside and you could have bought the drinks there. They have a full bar.”
I lugged the bucket in anyhow, once I cleared inspection, which was halfhearted at best. I still was a little wary, not wanting to get us busted, and was as surreptitious as possible when I poured the wine for us into the cups Mary had brought.
As the lights dimmed and the warm-up act readied, I became aware of a slightly familiar, distinctive aroma. Everybody around us was smoking pot!
It was a concert well-appreciated by all of us.
Jim Winpenny
December 1st, 2008
You undoubtedly will have the opportunity to try poi during your Hawaii vacation. It’s served at all the luau, often appears as a breakfast staple (like home fries or toast), and is available at all the restaurants that offer Hawaiian fare.
True locals consider poi as their ‘’staff of life” — the equivalent of bread in the Western diet. It’s often the first prepared food given to infants, regardless of the family’s ethnicity, and those infants grow up without ever losing their taste for the tangy, slightly sour concoction. It becomes an indispensable accompaniment to the lau lau — steaming meat and fish served wrapped in ti leaves — that are the main dishes of the luau, and a lot of us eat it for breakfast in place of cereal, or use it as a dip for appetizers.
Most visitors leave it on their plates without even trying it. It is, after all, a light brown, viscous mass that looks something like wallpaper paste. First timers at least imagine it tastes like wallpaper paste, too, although the mild flavor has its own pleasant character.
Actually, the freshly made poi served at most commercial luaus is too bland for us locals. We prefer the stronger flavor of the pulverized root after it has been allowed to ferment for three or four days, then water is added to produce the right consistency.
The thickness of the mixture is a matter of individual taste. That viscosity determines whether it’s one-, two- or three-finger poi. No, we don’t use forks or spoons, even though you probably will at your luau.
Taro root, the solid ingredient of poi, is a good source of calories, calcium and iron, and it provides fiber. Poi’s greatest value as baby food is its hypoallergenic quality. It seems to cause no allergies at all.
Give it a chance while you’re here. We won’t be insulted if you leave most of it behind.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 28th, 2008
Narrowing down your Hawaii vacation destination is even more difficult than it may seem to be at first. Most people try to decide which island – or islands – they think would appeal to them most.
The problem is that, except for little Molokai and Lanai, each of the islands actually has three or more distinctly different areas within their beaches.
On Oahu, Waikiki – on the south shore – is where the action is, and it’s close to most of the island’s other attractions. On the north shore, Turtle Bay is a full-blown resort near “Old Hawaii,” those humongous winter waves and the quaint little town of Haleiwa. Ko Olina is a newer, sprawling, self-contained resort area well west of Honolulu in leeward Oahu.
On the north shore of Kauai, the beautiful Hanalei and Princeville area is quiet and scenic with nice resorts. The south shore has Poipu and a whole bunch of ritzy resorts with all kinds of things to do. On the east shore, the town of Lihue is the island’s business and population center, with good accommodations that are convenient to most of Kauai’s spectacular attractions.
Maui is said to be two islands. West Maui has Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua and those spectacular resorts. The island’s larger portion contains the rustic Upcountry, the mammoth Haleakala crater and the Waimea resort area. Way to the east, the fantastic Hana area is an isolated destination unto itself.
The Big Island is generally divided into the Hilo side – the east – and the Kona side – the west. But it’s far more than that. On the Kona side, the coast is lined with one spectacular resort after another, and farther inland is ranch country in the rural areas of Waimea and Kamuela, the majestic Mauna Kea and the world’s most powerful telescopes. The Hilo side is far less touristy, but that’s where you’ll find Volcanoes National Park and the amazing lava flows.
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider beyond a choice of islands. The best thing to do is pick an agent from our website and begin a relationship (No obligation, of course). Our agents all are experts in Hawaii – have lived here and can guide you with passion and professionalism. Or, if you prefer, call 1-800-843-8771.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 26th, 2008
It seems that every time you fly, the airlines have taken away one creature comfort or another – a pillow here, a blanket there; a free snack, a free beverage, legroom …
At least some airlines are offering free advice as to how to be as comfortable as you can on your flights. We’ve accumulated some of their tips and pass them along here for what they’re worth:
• Chew gum, force a yawn or suck on hard candies to help relieve the pressure that builds in your ears when the plane ascends and descends.
• Drink plenty of water while onboard the aircraft to avoid dehydration during the flight.
• Do light stretching exercises in your seat and walk through the cabin frequently (when it’s safe to do so).
• The relatively low humidity in the cabin can increase allergy or asthma symptoms. Take preventative measures as necessary.
• To combat jet lag, reset your watch to the destination’s time as soon as you get on the plane. If it’s daytime at your destination, try to stay awake during the flight. Walking around the cabin may help keep you alert. If it’s nighttime, try to sleep. You may find it helpful to use earplugs and a sleeping mask to block out distractions on the plane.
• Eat before you get on the plane so that hunger does not prevent you from sleeping during the flight.
• If you’re using a blanket, buckle your seat belt over the blanket so a flight attendant checking seat belts won’t awaken you.
• Reserve an aisle seat so that you can easily access the bathroom and move about the cabin.
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and flat shoes. Wear layers if you are prone to body-temperature fluctuations.
• Keep your seatbelt low around your hips, not around your abdomen.
We’re predicting that necessity will create new methods – provided by the airlines – of enhancing the enjoyment of your flights, just as necessity has created the reduction of amenities we’ve all gotten used to.
In the meantime, enjoy the ride as much as you can.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 25th, 2008
It’s pretty much a given that you’ll be hitting the beach on your Hawaii vacation, even if it’s just to have your picture taken. Some of our visitors are not fond of sun and sand, but wouldn’t dream of going back home without some semblance of a natural tan.
Our beaches rim all our islands, and all of them are accessible to you. (Even at the posh resorts and private estates, where the beaches appear to be private, the beaches are public.) Keep in mind that few of them are patrolled and you swim at your own risk. Never swim alone, and heed any warnings that may be posted. Not all beaches are suitable for swimming, but there’s plenty of other stuff that makes them appealing.
Among the islands, the Big Island usually gets a bad rap when it comes to “great beaches.” You’ll hear that the best beaches are on Maui and Oahu, but that’s like saying the best sunsets are seen from Kauai.
The Big Island actually has more than 80 beaches, and more than a few of those are spectacular and unique. Most are on the Kona (west) side, which is sunnier and where the weather is more consistently mild. (That’s where most of the impressive new resorts have been developed.)
The beaches listed here can be found around the island counterclockwise on the map, starting at the northernmost point. Remember, this is a BIG island! You won’t find it easy to hop from beach to beach on a given day.
Keokea Beach Park. This black-boulder beach is suited for fishing in the calm summer months, but heavy surf makes it a hazardous swimming beach. It has picnic tables, rest rooms, showers, drinking water, electricity and a campsite. (Off Highway. 270, near Pololu overlook. 808-961-8311.)
Mahukona Beach Park. Here in the Kohala District, where sugar was once shipped by rail to be loaded on boats, Mahukona Beach’s old docks and buildings are a happy find for photographers. Divers and snorkelers can view both marine life and remnants of shipping machinery in the clear water. Surf is heavy, often prohibiting swimming. The picnic area has rest rooms, showers, and a place for camping, but no sandy beach. Off Hwy. 270, Mahukona. 808-961-8311.
Spencer Beach Park. This spot is popular with local families because of its reef-protected, gently sloping white-sand beach. It’s safe for swimming year-round. You can snorkel with the sea turtles here (No touching!), and large shade trees hover over cooking and camping facilities. It has showers, empty tennis courts and a large covered pavilion with electrical outlets. The entry road is off Hwy. 270, uphill from Kawaihae Harbor. 808-961-8311.
Kauna’oa Beach at Westin Mauna Ke’a Beach Hotel. It’s a toss-up whether this or neighboring Hapuna is the most beautiful beach on the island. Kauna’oa unfolds like a white crescent, and it slopes very gradually. It’s a great place for snorkeling, but in winter the powerful waves can be dangerous. The beach amenities are hotel-owned and public parking places are limited. Enter through the gate to Mauna Ke’a Beach Resort, off Hwy. 19.
Hapuna Beach State Park. This beach, part of a 61-acre park, forms a 1⁄2-mile crescent of white sand guarded by rocky points at either end. The surf can be hazardous in winter, but in summer the gradual slope of the beach can stretch as wide as 200 feet to the ocean. This is a terrific beach for swimming, snorkeling, and body surfing. Find it between Mauna Ke’a Beach and Mauna Lani resorts, off Hwy. 19. 808-974-6200.
Holoholokai Beach Park. A rocky beach of black-lava formations and white-coral clinkers is fine for surfers and snorkelers, and a small grassy area is available to sunbathers. Bathrooms, picnic tables, and barbecue grills are nicely maintained. Just before the beach park, you can explore historic Puako Petroglyph Park: Malama Trail meanders [7//10] miles through brush and kiawe trees to an area of lava covered with the ancient etchings of Hawaiian figures and animals. Off Hwy. 19 at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.
‘Anaeho’omalu Beach, at Outrigger Waikoloa Resort. This is an expansive beach is perfectly suited for swimming, windsurfing, snorkeling, and diving. Some equipment is for rent at the north end. Follow Waikoloa Beach Drive to the Royal Waikoloan Resort, then follow signs to the beach.
Ki’holo Bay. Be aware that your access via an unmarked road across a vast lava field requires a 20-minute hike, so take plenty of water. Private homes are built along the oceanfront. The huge, spring-fed Luahinewai Pond anchors the south end of the bay, and the three black-pebble beaches are fine for swimming in calm weather. At the northern end, Wainanali’i Pond (a 5-acre lagoon) is a feeding site for green sea turtles, off-limits to swimmers. You’ll find good swimming here, but no facilities. Hwy. 19, Mile Marker 81.
Kona Coast Beach Park (Kekaha Kai). This sandy white beach nestles in a bay whose surf is gentle. It has a few picnic tables shaded by coconut trees, but no drinking water. Portable toilets are the only additional facilities. You’ll see the sign about a mile north of Keahole-Kona International Airport, off Hwy. 19, then there’s a rough 1- 1⁄2-mile road to beach. 808-974-6200.
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. Just down the road from Honokohau Harbor, this is Part of a new 1,160-acre park. You’ll find two beaches, rich in archeology and good for swimming. Honokohau Beach, a 3⁄4-mile stretch with ruins of ancient fishponds, is north of the harbor. The park is being developed as a cultural and historical site. (For information about the park, visit its headquarters, a 5- to 10-minute drive away. The park is off Highway 19, at Honokohau Harbor; or use the park access between Mile Markers 96 and 97. Park Headquarters: Kaloko New Industrial Park, 73-4786 Kanalani St., #14. 808-329-6881.
Old Kona Airport Park. The unused runway — great for jogging or running — is still visible above this beach at Kailua Park, which has picnic tables, showers, bathroom facilities, tennis courts, and palm trees strung out along the shore. The beach has a sheltered, sandy inlet with tidal pools for children, but for adults it’s better for snorkeling than swimming. An offshore surfing break known as Old Airport is popular with Kona surfers. It’s at the north end of Kuakini Hwy. 808-327-4958 or 974-6200.
Kamakahonu Beach. The "King Kam" beach is a popular spot for visitors and locals alike. This beach is conveniently tucked away between the Kailua pier and the King Kamehameha hotel, right on Alii Drive. The surf is calm, so this is a great beach for children. The sand is white, the trees are shady, and the snorkeling is good - especially outside on the cove. This is also a popular spot for SNUBA, dive instruction, and swimming.
Kona Magic Sands Beach. Also known as La’aloa Beach, White Sands, or Disappearing Sands Beach Park. Now you see it, now you don’t. Overnight, winter waves wash away this small white-sand beach on Ali’i Drive just south of Kailua-Kona. In summer you’ll know you’ve found it when you see the bodyboarders and surfers. A volleyball net, restrooms, showers, a lifeguard tower, and a coconut grove create a favorite and convenient summer hangout. This beach is officially called La’aloa Bay Beach Pak. 4-1⁄2 miles south of Kailua-Kona on Ali’i Dr. 808-961-8311.
Kahalu’u Beach Park. This is one of the best snorkeling spots on the Big Island, with a huge variety of fishes in clear shallow waters. The north end of the beach is where the waves break and is best for body boarding and surfing. Check the water conditions; with ocean swells, the water can be murky. Facilities include a pavilion, rest rooms, showers, a lifeguard tower, and limited parking. A narrow path takes you directly to the resort’s Beach Bar & Grill, which serves sandwiches and plate lunches. 5-1⁄2 miles south of Kailua-Kona on Ali’i Dr. 808-961-8311.
Napo’opo’o Beach Park. The best way to enjoy this marine preserve is to take a snorkel, scuba, or glass-bottom boat tour from Keauhou Bay. A 27-ft white obelisk indicates where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779. While this six-acre beach park has a picnic pavilion, the beach consists of rocks, making access into the water difficult. It’s Located at the edge of Kealakekua Bay.
Ho’okena Beach Park. When Mark Twain visited, 2,500 people populated the busy seaport village at the northern end of Kauhako Bay. You can still find gas lampposts dating from the early 1900s. This dark-gray coral-and-lava-sand beach offers good swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing. Rest rooms, showers, and picnic tables are available at the park. The access road is narrow and a bumpy two-mile drive by the remains of a stone wall off Hwy. 11, 23 miles south of Kailua-Kona. 808-961-8311.
South Point
Here’s a beach area where jumping into the surf isn’t the first priority. South Point on the Big Island of Hawaii is the southernmost point in the United States – reason enough for a visit. The drive through rural – and volcanic – Hawaii is unusual in itself, but the South Point area, where the first Polynesians are thought to have landed, is amazing. The cliff near South Point Park drops forty feet to the ocean‘s surface. The concept looks inviting, but don’t jump, even though there are ladders to return and you may see daring young people doing it. A swift current runs along the shore that could carry you straight out to sea.
Green Sand (Mahana) Beach. You need good hiking shoes — or a permit and a four-wheel-drive vehicle — to get to this truly green crescent, one of the most unusual and prettiest beaches on the island. The beach lies at the base of Pu’u o Mahana, a cinder cone formed during an early eruption of Mauna Loa; the greenish tint is caused by an accumulation of olivine that forms in volcanic eruptions. Swimming is dangerous in this windy, remote area, and there are no facilities, but in calm water close to the shore, the aquamarine surf feels great and you find yourself in a surreal grass plain landscape. You can get a four-wheel-drive permit from Hawaiian Homelands (160 Baker Ave., Hilo 96720, 808- 974-4250). They’ll give you a key to the gate for a $25 deposit. Follow the trail 2 to 3 miles along the shoreline. It’s 2-1⁄2 miles northeast of South Point, off Hwy. 11. 808/974-4250.
Punalu’u Beach Park. Endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles nest in the black sand of this beautiful and easily accessible beach. Fishponds are just inland. At the northern end of the beach near the boat ramp lie the ruins of a heiau and a flat sacrificial stone. This used to be a sugar and army port until the tidal wave of 1946 destroyed the buildings. Offshore rip currents are extremely dangerous, though you’ll see a few local surfers riding the waves. There are rest rooms across the road. Hwy. 11, 27 miles south of Volcanoes National Park,
Ahalanui Park. This three-acre beach park with a 1⁄2-acre pond heated by a volcanic steam opened in 1993 to replace earlier beach parks that were lost to lava flows. The pond here is good for swimming, but the nearby ocean is rough. Drinking water and a few tables are available for picnicking, and there are portable rest rooms. The park is on the Kapoho coast, southeast of Pahoa, 2-1⁄2 miles south of the junction of Highways 132 and 137. 808-961-8311.
MacKenzie State Recreation Area. This 13-acre park shaded by ironwood trees is good for picnicking. You can’t swim here, but there are rest rooms. The recreation area is off Highway 137, 2 miles south of junction with Highway 132. 808/961-8311.
Isaac Hale Beach Park. The oceanfront park facilities here include rest rooms and picnic areas. It’s a good place for an afternoon nap, but it’s dangerous for swimming. The park is off Highway 137, north of the junction with Highway 132. 808-961-8311.
Leleiwi Beach Park and Richardson Ocean Park. Near Hilo, along the Keaukaha shoreline laced with bays, inlets, lagoons, and pretty parks, these two beaches are adjacent to each other. The grassy area is ideal for picnics. The beaches are rocky and dangerous for swimming, though you can dip your feet in the shallow areas. Follow Kalaniana’ole Avenue east along the water about 4 miles south of Hilo. 2349 Kalaniana’ole Ave. 808-961-8311.
Onekahakaha Beach Park. A protected, white-sand beach makes this a favorite for Hilo families with small children. Lifeguards are on duty year-round. The park has picnic pavilions, rest rooms, and showers. Follow Kalaniana’ole Ave. east. It’s 3 miles south of Hilo. 808-961-8311.
Reeds Bay Beach Park. With rest rooms, showers, drinking water, calm and safe swimming, and proximity to downtown Hilo, this cove is a great attraction on the east side of the island. Cold freshwater springs seep from the bottom of a nearby pond and rise in the saltwater. Banyan Dr. and Kalaniana’ole Ave., Hilo. 808-961-8311.For more information contact Hawaii Aloha Travel.
November 21st, 2008
Especially if you’re going to be on Maui during your Hawaii vacation, Haleakala will be among your plans. Please don’t consider this to be something you can just stop by and see, as you might Diamond Head on Oahu or Akaka Falls on the Big Island.
No place you have ever been will have prepared you for the experiences and feelings you will have on the summit of Haleakala. The landscape — sculpted, richly colored, and actually breathtaking — will be unlike any you have seen. There’s no way to anticipate its scale or dimensions ahead of time. (A popular comparison notes that the entire island of Manhattan could nestle within its confines.) The summit takes on another dimension at night, as the darkness reveals the brilliant night sky.
The Wilderness Area is 24,719 acres and the climate varies throughout. The elevation change from rim to the floor can be 3,000 feet. You can day hike, spend the night in a tent at one of the two wilderness campgrounds, or reserve one of the three historic cabins along the trail. As you walk, cycle or drive, you will encounter brown and red cinder cones that stretch hundreds of feet high in dry, cold desert air. You’ll experience cloud forests with red and green native ferns. Nene (Hawaiian geese) and endemic honeycreepers can be seen in the lower, wetter parts of the Wilderness area during the day. You’ll hear seabirds at night. Stars will fill the sky as you have never seen them before.
The Wilderness Area can be accessed by either of two mountaintop trailheads: Halemauu Trailhead at 8000 feet and Keoneheehee near the summit at 9740 feet. The two trails merge eventually and lead down the southeast side of the volcano to the relatively barren and unpopulated coast in the Kaupo district.
If you would like to camp overnight, you’ll need a permit. Cabins must be reserved, and it’s a good idea to stop by a Visitor Center before a day hike to discuss your plans. The unpredictable weather can be severe; water is scarce; altitude can be a major factor; and certain seasonal restrictions may apply.
The Kipahulu Area of Haleakala National Park can be accessed by driving ten miles past the remote town of Hana, on the famous Hana road that circumscribes the northeast coast of the island of Maui. The Kipahulu area encompasses both the accessible coastal section and the highly restricted, biologically precious upper slope reserve that is closed to all by limited research access.
Hiking is self-guided and rewarding. There are scheduled orientations and cultural demonstrations through the Visitor Center, and it’s a good idea to tune in.
Consider hiking the two-mile trail Pipiwai Trail, following the stream that runs through the Oheo Gulch. You can swim in the cool lower pools near the ocean, but the stream can be very unpredictable and flash floods are common. You’re responsible for your own safety and should not underestimate the risk. Obey all the caution signs and warnings from Rangers.
This area also offers a drive-up campground. Be advised that Kipahlu is wet and remote. If you’re going to camp, bring water. Shared grills, picnic tables and pit-toilets are available. You don’t need a permit here, but you’ll need to have paid the $10 park entry fee. (Camping is limited to 3 nights.)
Overall, the Haleakala climate is unpredictable. In any given day, the temperatures in the park can range from a high of 80° in Kipahulu to 30°.
As you can see, planning is essential if you are to appreciate even part of what Haleakala holds in store for you. Pick an agent from our Web site at (hawaii-aloha.com) or call 1-800-843-8771. We’ll help you work a fulfilling Haleakala adventure into your vacation plans.
November 20th, 2008
Sammy Amalu
In the 1960’s, a con man who was descended from Hawaiian Royalty (King William Lunalilo) became disgruntled with the disenfranchisement of Hawaiians and decided to do something about it. Amazingly, one of the travel industry’s giants became a willing participant.
Sammy Amalu, in 1962, almost put together a deal to buy the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel and other prime Hawaii properties for more than $75 million. Sheraton bought into the con and the deal got heavy press coverage. Amalu – his true identity kept secret – had real estate agents and lawyers salivating for their cut of the deal. He actually wrote and proffered the checks. But he didn’t have any money at the time; was living modestly in a small Waikiki hotel. So he went to jail.
While imprisoned, Amalu began writing letters to his former high school classmate, Thurston Twigg-Smith, who then was publisher of the Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii’s largest daily paper. The publisher found the letters to be amusing as well as well-written and Amalu began writing regular columns for the Advertiser while he was in prison, and he continued to write them after his release.
The columns ran for almost 20 years.
Amalu died in 1986 at the age of 68.
Ron Rewald
In a story bizarre enough to plot a Grisham thriller, Ronald Rewald, who had been a salesman for a Milwaukee sporting goods store, arrived in Honolulu in the early 1980s to head an investment company he called Bishop, Baldwin, Rewald, Dillingham and Wong. Wong, a real estate agent, was Rewald’s actual partner. The other three names were not actually people; but were among the most respected names in Hawaii’s business history. (In New York, the company might have been called Rockefeller, Harriman, Rewald, Roosevelt & Wong.) Incredibly, no one questioned their authenticity. Offering “guaranteed” growth potential, BBRD&W accepted investment funds from many of Hawaii’s leading business people and others with high private incomes. Can you say “Ponzi”? Rewald began to spend lavishly, purchasing a polo club and its grounds, a couple of ranches, a sting of polo ponies, an exotic car dealership and an elaborate oceanfront estate in East Honolulu.
Rewald was actually an operative of a large and secret CIA operation based in Honolulu. He was encouraged to keep a high profile and mingle with local movers and shakers. The operation allegedly had taken over from the infamous CIA operation known as Nugan Hand Bank, which was staffed with several CIA officials and had offices throughout the world — primarily in the Far East. It included drug money laundering, helping to hide Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’ assets, and setting up and funding secret bank accounts for some very well known U.S. political figures.
When his cover was blown, he attempted suicide in Waikiki and the story was broken by a Honolulu television reporter. The CIA and Justice Department filed charges against him. A federal judge blocked him from having CIA personnel appear as witnesses, and barred him from introducing hundreds of documents showing he was, indeed, a CIA agent. Rewald was sentenced to 81 years for allegedly making off with large sums of money. This apparently was the money that the CIA moved after his cover was blown. Rewald was released on parole from the Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island facility in California. He was not to be eligible for parole until 2015, but a back injury he suffered in prison may have been a factor in his early release. He’s eligible to receive $150 per month because of the injury, which confines him to a wheelchair.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
Your Blogger’s Side Bar
I had brief encounters with Sammy Amalo and a more involved relationship with Ron Rewald.
In 1972, I had just arrived in Honolulu with my family from the East Coast and was creative director of the Carlos Rivas advertising agency. Carlos and I had become close friends and he had invited me and my wife Mary to the Polo matches at Mokuleia on Oahu’s North Shore on behalf of Sammy Amalo, “a local celebrity.”
After the matches, Carlos led us to the club house and introduced us to Sammy, who was dressed all in white, with a plantation hat and flowing scarf. He was an ebullient man who appeared to be in his late 60s. (I learned later he was in his mid 50s.) Everyone else there seemed to be his friend and he greeted us all warmly. “Please help yourself at the bar,” he urged. “And enjoy some of the wonderful food.” So we did. After only about a half-hour, Carlos approached Mary and me. He said, “It’s time to split. Wait here a second.” He went to the bar, wrote a check, and handed it to the manager/bartender. As we headed for the parking lot Carlos explained, “Sammy considers himself to the host of these gatherings, but he never pays for anything. He doesn’t have any money. We all just go along and act grateful. It’s a sort of tradition.” Mary and I continued to go to the matches on Sundays during the summers, and afterwards we occasionally would drop by the club house for the Sammy drill. But we didn’t do that regularly; it was pretty expensive.
* * *
In about 1980, our older daughter Karen was of dating age. Mary was a short-leash mom and insisted on meeting all of Karen’s friends and their parents, and she especially needed to interrogate her dates and their families.
One day Karen told us she had been invited to the movies and dinner by “a really nice guy.” Jimmy Rewald arrived dutifully at our door for scrutiny promptly that evening at the appointed time. He was tall for his age, well-dressed and engaging with an easy manner and winning smile. His limousine idled in our driveway and the driver stood ready by the open passenger-side rear door. Jimmy told us he lived “up the road,” and described the residence. We knew of it. It was on a prized piece of property on Kalanianaole Highway at the Diamond Head edge of Maunalua Bay. I inwardly celebrated the fact that Karen would be taken off our hands and set for life. Mary bluntly asked Jimmy what his father did and was told that he was chairman of a Downtown investment firm. He didn’t mention the company’s name.
Karen’s and Jimmy’s relationship grew warm. They saw each other often, always transported by the limo, and continued to date until Jimmy left for college at USC. (One of our more difficult parental decisions was whether to allow Karen to join him for a big weekend there. We did.)
In the meantime, Ronald Rewald’s corporate profile was skyrocketing as he appeared in photos with celebrities and attended functions with bigwigs such as the governor and other movers and shakers. I asked Karen if the corporate name actually was related to the famous Bishops, Baldwins and Dillinghams. She didn’t know; didn’t care.
We became friends with the Rewalds. He had bought the polo Club at which we had met Sammy Amalu. When Mary turned 40, Ron “loaned” me the club on a polo Sunday, I rented a giant tent and some busses for transportation to and from Honolulu, laid on the booze and food, and Mary had her best birthday ever.
When the top of his pyramid crumbled and the bottom fell out, Ron went to jail on Oahu while he awaited federal trial. Mary at the time was publisher of Island Business Magazine, and used our relative intimacy with the Rewalds to begin interviewing Ron in prison for a series of articles. I put a stop to that when CIA involvement was suggested and I envisioned shady characters planting bugs and peering at our family through binoculars.
We’ve had no contact with Ron since. Karen remains in loose touch with Jimmy, who married and works as a security guard in Southern California.
Jim Winpenny
November 18th, 2008
We blogged a few weeks ago about a Indianapolis-based Republic Airways was planning to form a partnership with Kailua-Kona-based Mokulele Airlines in order to provide more passenger seats for Hawaii’s interisland travelers and to create competition for Hawaiian Airlines in the market.
Well, they’ve done it, spurring hopes for lower fares and more options. Starting November 19th, Mokulele will begin flying 14 flights a day between Honolulu and Lihue, Kauai, and between Honolulu and Kailua, Kona, using 70-seat Embraer E170 jets operated by Republic. Service to Maui and Hilo is to start in January.
Republic Airways also will provide $150 million in financing, which will include a line of credit and spare engine parts for the new service.
It’s expected that some 200 of the employees who were laid off when Aloha Airlines folded will now be hired by Mokulele.
If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, this could be good news for you, too. Maybe prices will be more favorable for interisland travel, and we now have more options for booking convenient travel arrangements for you.
November 18th, 2008
Two of the most prominent figures in Hawaii’s history were related — Bernice Pauahi Paki Bishop was the great-granddaughter of Kamehameha I, the warrior chief who united all the islands of Hawaii under his rule in 1810, thereby creating the Hawaiian monarchy.
Kamehameha the Great of the Big Island made his mark by conquering each of the other major islands’ leadership – with more than a little help from British and American traders who sold him guns and ammunition and trained his men in their use.
Princess Pauahi Paki was born in 1831 and educated by American Protestant missionaries. She met and married a young American named Charles Reed Bishop, whose surname is found throughout the islands on roads, schools, the famous museum, and the facades of leading businesses and institutions. Widely respected in his own time, he was a widely successful businessman who through banking, real estate, and other investments, became one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom. Because the name is so prevalent in the islands, many assume it relates somehow to the missionaries. Nope.
At the time of Pauahi’s birth, Hawaii’s native population was about 124,000. When she wrote her will in 1883, only 44,000 Hawaiians remained.
Pauahi witnessed – and deplored — the steady physical and spiritual demise of Native Hawaiians. Foreign influences that had been introduced with Captain James Cook’s arrival in Hawaii in 1778 had weakened the traditional order of Hawaiian life and culture. Diseases to which Hawaiians had no immunity caused tens of thousands of natives to die in epidemics.
Pauahi Bishop was certain that a lack of education helped bring that decrease about. She hoped there would come a turning point – a time when, through enlightenment, the adoption of regular habits and Christian ways of living, the natives would not only hold their own in numbers, but would increase again like the people of other races. Remember, she not only was married to enormous wealth, she also was the heir to most of the lands of high-ranking Kamehameha chiefs. She said she “felt responsible and accountable” for having so much.
She was determined to establish an institution bearing the name Kamehameha, and a hospital and schools for boys and girls. The schools’ enrollment would not be restricted to boys and girls of pure or part aboriginal blood, but that class “should have preference.” In her will, she left her estate, about nine percent of the total acreage of the Hawaiian kingdom, to found the Kamehameha Schools.
After Pauahi’s death, Charles Bishop, as president of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate’s Board of Trustees, ensured that his wife’s wish was fulfilled. He provided his own funds for the construction of facilities and added some of his own properties to her estate. Until his death in 1915, he continued to guide her trustees in directions that reinforced her vision of a perpetual educational institution that would assist Native Hawaiians to become “good and industrious men and women.”
Pauahi’s original endowment has grown to become one of the most important trusts for Hawaiian people. Today, her estate encompasses nearly 365,800 acres of land in Hawaii which, combined with other assets, are valued at more than $6 billion. The revenue generated by these assets fund Kamehameha Schools’ educational programs and services for thousands of students statewide. Her endowment supports the largest independent pre-kindergarten through grade 12 school in the United States.
It’s ironic that those two relatives – Kamehameha and Pauahi — made their marks in entirely different ways. One gained stature and position through the spilled blood of his countrymen; the other earned adoration through her benevolence and compassion.
Hawaii’s history is complex and fascinating in spite of the simplicity of her culture. If you’d like to delve a little, The Bishop Museum on Oahu is the ideal place to start. Plan on spending at least a day.
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 17th, 2008
Winter’s approaching. That’s significant in Hawaii, when the season brings the big waves and attracts the big surfers from all over the world. They arrive in early November in anticipation of competing for one of the most coveted awards in international surfing – the Vans Triple Crown. The event started its six-week run on November 12th and run through December 20. This year’s prize purse will be the largest in the Series’ history: $815,000.
More than 260 of the world’s best competitive surfers — men and women — will seek six titles as well as the series crown. The events all will take place at three venues on Oahu’s North Shore: Haleiwa, Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline.
Each event will have a 12-day window in which it must be completed.
You may have considered surfing to be a very personal activity, surfer against nature, but the Vans Triple Crown is an enormously popular spectator sport and crowds will gather to see the best in the world compete on huge, awesome waves in a gorgeous setting. You might consider being there yourself. Find a hotel near Oahu’s North Shore to watch the surfers compete!
Posted by Jim Winpenny
November 17th, 2008
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